The significant advantages that can be achieved by enabling aircraft to move autonomously on the ground without reliance on the operation of aircraft main engines or external tow vehicles have been acknowledged. Aircraft drive wheel drive systems useful for powering aircraft landing gear wheels to drive aircraft autonomously during ground travel have been proposed by Applicant and others. When the drive means used in an aircraft drive wheel drive system is an electric motor mounted within a landing gear wheel, providing an effective electrical connection between the wheel drive system electrical components and an aircraft electric power source that can also be connected and disconnected easily to permit easy mounting and removal of the wheel can present challenges. Depending on the type of electric motor used as a drive means, a large number of wires or other electrical connectors may be required to provide power to components of an electric drive means. Additionally, there is usually limited space available within or around an aircraft wheel, wheel well, or landing gear to accommodate extensive wiring.
Electrical connector assemblies have been proposed for a variety of applications. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2003/0176085 to Laker describes a cable connector that includes a printed circuit board with traces that are connected to a plurality of conductive wires in a connective cable configured for high frequency signal transmission. In European Patent Application No. EP0751026A2, Hirosa et al (Honda) describe an electric leader line mounted in a manner that prevents infiltration of water and dust to extend from the inside to the outside of an electric motor mounted integrally within a vehicle wheel. A pair of electric power lines supplies direct current to a pair of connected circuit boards, one of which is a doughnut-shaped bus plate with a plurality of circuits printed on both sides, to drive the motor. Neither of the foregoing published patent applications, nor any of the art of which Applicant is aware, however, has addressed the specific challenges presented by the need for an effective, reliable, space-saving electrical connector to provide electric power to a landing gear drive motor requiring a large number of electric connections within the confines of and challenges presented by an aircraft landing gear environment. The prior art, moreover, does not suggest such an electric connector designed to easily electrically disconnect and reconnect an aircraft drive wheel electric drive means and an aircraft electric power supply when the drive wheel must be removed from and then remounted on the aircraft landing gear.
A need exists for an electric connector designed to meet the space limitations and other challenges associated with providing electric power to an aircraft landing gear drive wheel drive motor with a large number of electrical connections required to effectively supply electric power to the drive wheel drive motor. A need also exists for an electrical connection between an electric drive means powered aircraft landing gear drive wheel and the aircraft electric power supply designed to disconnect and reconnect quickly and easily when removal and remounting of the drive wheel is required.